By Hubert Adjei-Kontoh
Staff Writer
Network conflicts, bad scheduling or failure to obtain an audience are the main reasons that TV shows are canceled; unfortunately, great programs have been canceled for these very same reasons.
However, with the advent of the DVD player and a robust home video market, it is now easier than ever to watch these canceled shows.
Therefore, I have created a list of the best canceled TV shows that I think are worthy of your attention.
Freaks and Geeks
This show usually tops the lists, and it is easy to see why. Airing on NBC from 199-2000 this teenage drama/comedy avoided the common clichés and tropes befalling the genre, and entertain with characters that though different in their attitudes and way of dress were universal enough to connect with.
It is a show mainly about an over-achiever named Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardenelli) who decides to hang out with the “Freaks”, made up of Ken(Set Rogen), Daniel Desario (James Franco), Nick (Jason Segel) and Kim (Busy Phillips), who are seen as the outcasts of the school. However, Lindsay’s brother, Sam(John Francis Daley), is a link to the world of the Geeks, who are Bill Haverchuck (Martin Starr) and Neal Schweiber(Samm Levine).
It deals with the trials of teenage life with surprising tenderness and humor. In an early episode, an exhausted Lindsay crashes on her bed after throwing a party, scared because her house is being destroyed. Neal, who has a crush on Lindsay, holds her and calls the police pretending to be an old man who has been awakened by the noise of the party.
Moments like this define the show as one which does not keep the characters at arm’s length to act as punch lines. Rather, it was a show that cared about its characters maturing but was able to show the humor of the process.
Arrested Development
Why, why, why was this show canceled? Brilliant cast. Hilarious writing. Top-notch guest stars. It literally boggles the mind that FOX decided to pull the plug on this show.
With a cast consisting of Jason Bateman, David Cross, Will Arnett and Michael Cera, “Arrested Development” is a comedy about a dysfunctional family (The Bluths), which owns a huge real estate development firm. Bateman(Michael Bluth) deals hilariously with the struggles of both family and business. Even though it seems like a cliché, the show was handled originally; for example, during one episode George Bluth (Arnett), Michael Bluth’s younger brother, gains control of the company. He does this through a board meeting were he surprises the board by changing $100 into 100 pennies.
The episode has Michael trying to keep his brother from destroying the company while simultaneously trying to leave his family forever. Unfortunately for him, he cannot leave them; fortunately for viewers, the hijinks continue to be as hilarious as the aforementioned example.
Firefly
From an objective standpoint, it is hard to see how “Firefly” was even produced. What network executive saw the script of this western space opera and thought, “this will work”? However, it did, and exceptionally well.
Firefly is about the crew of the ship Serenity and the ventures they take. The lead character, Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion,) is a hardened ship captain after losing the fight in the war against the Alliance ( the central government controlling the system).
He buys Serenity to specifically live outside Alliance control. He is helped by crew members: Zoe Washburne(Gina Torres,) who is his first mate and fought on the same side during the war, Hoban “Wash” Washburne (Alan Tudyk,) her husband, Dr. Simon (Sean Maher,) the ship’s doctor, Simon’s sister River Tam (Summer Glau,) who was smuggled on the ship by her brother. Other characters include Kaywinnit Lee “Kaylee” Frye (Jewel Staite,) the ship’s mechanic, Jayne Cobb (Adam Baldwin,) a mercenary and Derrial Book (Ron Glass,) a preacher.
These characters help make it such a great show. However, the treatment of “Firefly” by FOX should be an example in the ethics textbooks at any television network, because FOX basically killed the show from the beginning. From showing episodes out of order to changing the time the episodes would air without any prior notice and by leaving the show to die on the Friday night death slot, FOX didn’t give it the chance it deserved.
Though what happened to Firefly is a tragedy, the DVDS are out there, waiting to be watched by anyone who values a great show.
